Michelin-star dining, antique glamour and a stone's throw from Lake Garda: Inside Italy's dreamiest five-star villa

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Nestled in vineyards in the middle of Bardolino country, Villa Cordevigo is the perfect spot to relax, sample smooth local wines and explore glistening Lake Garda, where mountains soar out the water.

Lined by age-old cypresses, the entrance to the 16th-century villa is spectacular, although blink, and you will miss the tiny sign and narrow path leading up to it. 

The track leads to a picturesque courtyard, adorned with a sprinkling fountain. Within seconds our luggage (and selves) are whisked away on a golf buggy and whizzed up to the swanky hotel reception. 

Villa Cordevigo is a luxurious country retreat in a classic Venetian villa, nestled in the hills above Lake Garda

Guests arrive into the beautiful courtyard, adorned with a sprinkling fountain when they come into the 16th Venetian villa

Nestled in olive groves and vineyards, the inviting swimming pool is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the sunshine 

Our room is in the northern wing of the villa that was once a stable and cellar. It is spacious and comfortable, with a beautifully painted ceiling and exposed beams, as well as a stone fireplace. It is housed (conveniently) on top of the bar and overlooking the neatly manicured garden.

Next to the picturesque garden is the palatial pool, surrounded by rows of vines. It is set at the perfect temperature to cool off from the muggy Mediterranean heat, with sunloungers aplenty to top up the tan.

At the far end of the pool area is a small hut which has a bar on one side and a gym on the other. Safe to say, I did not see anyone enter the gym, but plenty ducking into the bar for the duration of our stay. 

Perhaps we were unlucky but the 'blissful tranquility' advertised on the site was somewhat punctured by the sound of screaming children and the cooing of their proud parents. 

If you would prefer not to hear 'Humpty Dumpty having a great fall' ringing out as you relax it might be best to book outside school holiday season as Cordevigo is clearly a family friendly residence.

Guests can dine at the villa's bistro or at the Michelin-star restaurant (pictured) that is run by chef Giuseppe D'Aquino

Guests in the bistro overlook the sunny pool and relaxing spa that is ringed with sunloungers to top up the tan

After a morning spent lounging by the pool, guests can explore the 100-hectare estate of vineyards and olive groves on the free bicycles provided at reception.

Having worked up a sweat, guests might then like to tuck into a feast at the hotel's Ristorante Oseleta run by chef Giuseppe D'Aquino, which has a Michelin star, or opt for the cheaper option of the bistro.

D'Aquino cleverly combines ingredients from his native Naples, such as buffalo mozzarella and tomatoes, with local Venetian products.

As he puts it: 'Nothing is as good as Italian ingredients... I don't think being influenced from lots of different places is a bad thing.' 

The wine cave is at the base of the old 14th century church (pictured) and guests can drink as much as your liver can handle

MailOnline's Thomas Burrows pictured on the track leading down to the stunning pool area as the sun sets on the vineyards

D'Aquino, a former engineer, also picks out the perfect wine to compliment the meal, and the extensive wine list - including Valpolicella, Ripasso and Amarone - are all produced at the vineyards.

Guests can then drink to their heart's content at the bar, which boasts an equally exhaustive list of scrumptious cocktails. 

Just a few kilometres from the bustling coastal towns of Bardolino, Lazise and Garda, Cordevigo is well-placed for a visit to Italy's largest and most glorious lake. It is highly advisable to hire a car. We did not and were rather shocked by the €25 fee (for an airport-transfer style minibus) for a 10-minute drive into town. It means a quick meal or drink overlooking Lake Garda becomes an extremely pricey evening out.

As boutique retreats go, Villa Cordevigo is a luxurious and fabulous place to stay - just make sure you bring a car and have a degree of patience when it comes to the sound of shrieking children.

The luxury hotel is set in a Renaissance-style villa and is a perfect place to relax, as well as explore the charms of Lake Garda

There are 33 rooms in the elegant boutique retreat, which all come with rich fabrics and antique glamour

Just 30 minutes away from the sprawling estate is the charming city of Verona, which this year is commemorating the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death.

The playwright, of course, set Romeo and Juliet in the city of love.

It means hoards of tourists descend on the fictional 'Casa di Giulietta', all vying for the perfect romantic selfie, which makes it a rather overwhelming spot. 

But just minutes away from the jam of sightseers, the cobbled streets are virtually deserted - bar the occasional cyclist pedaling by. 

The Roman amphitheatre, on Piazza Bra, is awe-inspiring, as is the superb Restaurant Ponte Pietra - under the shadow of the oldest bridge in Verona.

The villa is perfectly placed to explore the beautiful towns dotted around Lake Garda, including the town of Garda itself

The sun sets in Lazise, on the eastern side of Lake Garda, which is just a 15-minute drive from Villa Cordevigo 

We then visited the magnificent - and largely overlooked - city of Mantua.

It is Italy's capital of culture this year, which has seen a rise in tourism, but it is still blissfully quiet compared to the country's most popular destinations.  

Mantua is known as 'La Bella Addormentata' - 'a sleeping beauty' - as this Renaissance gem appears suspended in time and largely unchanged from its days of Gonzaga rule, the dynasty who presided over the city for more than 300 years from the 14th century.

It is easy to explore the ginormous Palazzo Ducale - once home to the Gonzaga family - and Palazzo Te in a single day, as well as taking in the picturesque piazzas and winding lakeside paths.

'Zanzara', on the lakeside at Giardini Barbato, is a great hangout to soak up the late evening sun with a zesty cocktail and they also put on a free buffet, with pasta aplenty.  

The stunningly beautiful city of Verona is just a 30-minute drive from Villa Cordevigo and perfect for a day-trip 

Our last stop was the country's cuisine capital of Bologna. 

The capital of the Emilia-Romagna region is a tangle of cobbled streets, lined with coffee houses serving up the smoothest cappuccinos, restaurants where waiters dart from one table to the next and market stalls selling the finest cured meats, dried pasta and stylish leather bags and boots.

Like Mantua, the main sites of Bologna including the beautiful Piazza Maggiore and two leaning towers can be seen in a single day, but the thing to do is to get lost in the myriad of historic streets and marvel at the extraordinary Renaissance architecture at your every turn.

Bologna is affectionately known as 'La Grassa' [The 'Fat One'] and it's easy to see why. Food here is cheap, unfussy and comes in large portions.

Mantua is Italy's capital of culture this year. It's seen a rise in tourism, but it is still blissfully quiet

'Zanzara', on the lakeside at Giardini Barbato, is a great hangout to soak up the late evening sun

Our favourite restaurant was Drogheria della Rosa, a former pharmacy tucked away near the university (which, incidentally, is Europe's oldest) and a mainstay of the city for years. There was no menu, but we were advised on what to eat by our chirpy young waiter. 

As we sat waiting for our food on the quiet street, with the waft of garlic and tomatoes from the kitchen wetting our appetite, the paunchy and affable owner came over for a chat. Cigarette in one hand and large glass of wine in the other, he wished us a pleasant meal with a warm handshake and a chink of our glasses before entertaining other guests in his gravelly voice.

Like the best Italian restaurants, Drogheria may appear chaotic on the outside, but inside it is warm, personal and cooks up a storm.

Stupefacente!

The main sites of Bologna including the beautiful Piazza Maggiore and two leaning towers can be seen in a single day